Vitalii V. Kovalchuk

52-year-old soldier Vitaliy Kovalchuk was killed on May 31, 2022, while performing a combat mission near the village of Borivske in Luhansk. The fighter received fatal mine-explosive injuries. Vitaliy was born in the city of Znamyanka, Kirovohrad region. He spent almost his entire life engaged in entrepreneurial activities. He had a computer hall and a zoo shop. He was always very communicative, communicated a lot with young people. He was engaged in sports, loved life. In 2012, he moved to the city of Kropyvnytskyi and continued to engage in his favorite business - a zoo shop. He sold not only goods for home pets, but also animals, birds, rodents, reptiles, etc. The man found his happiness in his second marriage. The couple raised three biological children and later decided to take two more under their care. They lived as a large friendly family. They adored spending time together. They had many plans. However, Russia's large-scale invasion cut short all dreams. Vitaliy joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He held the position of senior shooter. He wanted more than anything for his children to have a peaceful future and live in a free country. He hoped until the end that he would return home with a victory. "We live with the kids the way my husband Vitaliy wanted for his family. Of course, it's very hard for us, but the kids are a big support for me. The boys are still kids, but they already tell me that they want to be military men, like their father," said the wife of the deceased. The defender was buried in the Alley of Honorable Burials of the Far Eastern Cemetery in the city of Kropyvnytskyi. Vitaliy had a son, Vladislav, from his first marriage. In his second marriage, together with his wife Natalia, they raised five children: Ivan, Stepan, Yegor, Maria, and Anna. Soldier Vitaliy Kovalchuk was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage of the III degree.